Mettawee (Peace Street)

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Streams logo web.jpg Mettawee River (Peace Street)
Stream code:LCC_MetRv_990
Basin:Lake Champlain Canal
State or Province:Vermont
Country:USA
Latitude:43.264770
Longitude:-73.099565
School:Long Trail School


The following are the most common invertebrates collected from this stream site.

Drunella

Drunella Whole.jpg
Order
Ephemeroptera
Family
Ephemerellidae
Genus
Drunella


Tied fly
Bluewinged Olive Dun
The mayfly Drunella is distinguished by its large femoral “biceps;” these femora have tubercles on the leading margins. Gills are present on segments 3-7.



Dubiraphia

Dubiraphia (Larvae).jpg
Order
Coleoptera
Family
Elmidae
Genus
Dubiraphia


The larvae of this genus are distinguished by the last abdominal segment, which is very elongated. Adults of this genus usually have prominent longitudinal markings on their elytra and, like adult Optioservus, have a fringe of tomentum on their anterior tibia.

Image of the fringe of tomentum.




Chironomidae

Chironomidae.jpg
Order
Diptera
Family
Chironomidae


Common name
Nonbiting midge
Tied fly
Griffith's Gnat
Midge larvae tend to be the most common macroinvertebrate at our sites. As with other Diptera, there are no true jointed legs. Chironomidae do have a pair of prolegs at each end and preserved individuals tend to curl into a 'C'. Identification past family requires slide-mounted heads. We have seen philopotamid caddisflies misidentified with the chironomids and we suspect that that happens when samples are being sorted from trays. Under a microscope, six prominent legs can be seen on members of the caddisfly family Philopotamidae.

More information on Philopotamidae.




Baetis

Baetis.jpg
Order
Ephemeroptera
Family
Baetidae
Genus
Baetis


Common name
The Little Olive
Tied fly
Sawyer Pheasant Tail Nymph
This mayfly has three "tails" and a unique head shape. Its gills are oval shaped and insert dorsally. More mature nymphs have long, dark wing pads.

Image of the long, dark wing pads.




Simuliidae

Simuliidae.jpg
Order
Diptera
Family
Simuliidae


Simuliidae appear rather like bowling pins with heads. Relatively speaking, we collect few members of this family and have we have not identified them past family at this point.

Click here for a close up image of the heads.




Stenelmis

Stenelmis (larvae).jpg
Order
Coleoptera
Family
Elmidae
Genus
Stenelmis


The larvae of Stenelmis, as in Ordobrevia, have a sternum on the ventral side of the pronotum. The main difference between the two genera is in the antennae the second segment is less than twice as long as the first in Stenelmis.

The adult Stenelmis has a clear separation between the thorax and abdomen as well as a more distinctly separate head as compared to other genera.

Click here to see pictures of the sternum and antennae-




Acerpenna

Acerpenna whole front.jpg
Order
Ephemeroptera
Family
Baetidae
Genus
Acerpenna


Common name
Tiny blue-winged olive
This genus is can be identified by the costal process, or projection, distal to the hind wing pad. Gill 7 is slender and may be pointed at the end. The antennal scape and pedicel have a few scattered setae (hairs).

Image of the antennal scape. A ventral view can be seen here.




Baetidae

Baetis.jpg
Order
Ephemeroptera
Family
Baetidae


Common name
Small minnow mayfly
Tied fly
Tiny blue-winged olive
This mayfly has either two or three cerci ("tails") and a unique head shape. Its gills are oval shaped and insert dorsally. Commonly encountered genera include Acerpenna, Baetis and Pseudocloeon.

More information on the genera:

Acerpenna

Baetis

Pseudocloeon




Epeorus

Epeorus.jpg
Order
Ephemeroptera
Family
Heptageniidae
Genus
Epeorus


Common name
The Quill Gordon
Tied fly
Quill Gordon
This is the only Heptageniidae genus present in this area with two tails!




Leuctra

Leuctra2.jpg
Order
Plecoptera
Family
Leuctridae
Genus
Leuctra


This family of stonefly is fairly slender by stonefly standards. The divergent wing pads are a helpful characteristic. Leuctridae are similar in overall shape to the Capniidae; however, Leuctridae often do not have pleural folds. If they are present, they only extend from abdominal segments 1-7. Leuctra are recognized by abdominal terga with posterior fringes of short hairs and last few segments with longer hairs.

Image of the divergent wing pads.




Brachycentrus

Brachycentrus.jpg
Order
Trichoptera
Family
Brachycentridae
Genus
Brachycentrus


Common name
The Olive Dun Caddis
Tied fly
Deer Hair Caddis
These larvae are typically found with their legs extended out of their case for feeding. The cases are square in cross section and made of plant materials. Brachycentrus has 2 large sclerites on the metanotum. In fresh samples (preserved for less than one week) these organisms often have a pale green tint; live specimens are a more vivid green.




Glossosomatidae

Glossosoma - Whole3.jpg
Order
Trichoptera
Family
Glossosomatidae


Common name
saddlecase caddisfly
Larvae in this family build domed cases made of small rocks, and are often wider at segment 5. The pronotum is covered in dark, sclerotized plates, but there are either no sclerites on the mesonotum, or the mesonotum is unsclerotized with the exception of a few patches. The anal proleg is broadly joined to segment 9; the anal claw has one or more accessory hooks. The pronotal excision is small (approximately 1/3 anterolaterally) to accommodate the coxae.

Commonly encountered genera include Glossosoma and Agapetus.